For the past 35 - 40 years, except in schools, text books & government offices, MKG; Gandhiji; Bapu; Father of the nation either remained in textbooks, songs, walls & part time teachings.

In the school, text book had chapters devoted to history of independence, teachings of bapu, values, which neither the teachers acknowledged nor students remembered after the bell signaling the period was over.

The songs were practiced & sung during the assembly, a week before republic day; independence day or 2nd October & then forgotten.

The book sellers made merry every year.

The portraits hung on every wall of the government offices made many a painter, photographer, frame maker wealthy. A lot of good, bad & evil was conducted beneath his eyes, which accepted everything, just as it probably did when alive.

Whatever the reasons, government, relatives, friends, foes, well wishers fought over his meager possessions, not giving a damn whether he would have approved of it or not.

Then OTIS struck…….All of a sudden, everyone who had forgotten him, relegated him to the background for 350 days in a year started acknowledging him, his worth, claiming that they were following his principles, values ready to bring back his possessions back to India!!!

In the heat of the moment, money was pledged, collected, social activism armchair, online, offline gathered momentum (hey, I was also a part of it, but for no other reason than a friend Tushar’s passion).

Some people raised questions, relevant, irrelevant…..

Why did we not plan?
Why does the government not intervene?
What purpose would it serve?

so on & on……..

But watching from the sidelines, Bapu was laughing at all these hypocrites……because he never believed in keeping his possessions close to his chest, remember he gave all of it away.

Unfortunately, nobody asked him but he would have said ” Vijay, save your money - either do good with it or keep enjoying life, but do not waste it on my possessions”

T. N. Shanbag - the name invokes memories of a gentle man, who I first saw & met in 1982 when I had the good fortune to visit his store for the first time.

Over the years, though we did not meet, a visit to strand on my visit to Bombay was a must. A bit of small chit chat, the polite push towards reading more things than fiction & then left in peace to browse around.

1995 was when I met him again. He had come over to my office across the road from Strand with a guest for subscription. Business done, he reminded me that it is now close enough for me not to offer excuses. And till 2000 the saturday visits resumed.

For the past couple of years, it was always at the back of my mind to visit Strand, but something or the other ensured I could not.

I am sure, he would have gently smiled & taken up from where we had left. Just as he would with the almighty after his journey.

R.I.P my friend.

1. I hate sleeping

2. I have enjoyed my life in childhood

3. I can’t live without tension 4. I want to have disturbed family life

5. I believe in Geeta”Karm karo phal ki kamna na karo”

6. I don’t want to spend time with my spouse

7. I want to take revenge on myself

8. I wanted to break up from my friends

9. I want social boycott

10. I love to work on Sundays &holidays

2008 a year that saw the economy dovetail at an unexpected speed, however besides this there were many things/issues that remained strong in one’s memory….

HIGH

Don’t Drink & Drive….an initiative that has remained consistent, with less hiccups than expected
The Long awaited Smoking ban in public places & offices came into effect
In sports - Beijing brings gold & India start cricked dominance
India ends nuclear apartheid; and signs landmark nuclear deal with US
Large scale discounts on everything
RTI gathering steam, improved openness in local government
Sharukh & Salman generated reams of unessential gossip
Society unites & patriotism is in after Mumbai attacks
Shivraj Patil finally replaced!

LOW

Attacks on Christians in Orissa & Raj’s violent campaign in Mumbai – No difference
Police & Media show themselves in poor light
Our esteemed Lok Sabha met for 46 days, an all time low
India fail to qualify in hockey for 1st time in 80 years
Economic Crisis, Terror - a moment of gloom & doom
26/11 was the largest entertainment grosser

INDIA forgot
Vidharbha sucides
Nithari Killings
Kidney Racket Case
Aarushi Murder

Most common MEDIA words used during the year -
Exclusive
First time on TV

Most used BUZZWORDS
Wassup?
Bro/Dude/Rockstar
Pappu
Hooking Up

MY FAV AD SLOGAN
Why should boys have all the fun?

Do let me know yours

With the wishes rolling in, time having passed, age creeping up, no longer have the fascination or energy to make resolutions which are normally broken within a month of the new year; hence decided for the first month to pass by before I pen down some thoughts….for the new year.

The last year with a lot of time spent with self, family, friends led to quite a realization & thanks to that, am beginning the year on a focused note.

1. Clean up - Having done so in the last 6-9 months, have seriously decided to continue doing so in the coming year.

Life - try and continue keeping it simple. It shall always consist of Paradox, Humor, Change.

Mind - forsake - anger, worry; respect others; work hard; honestly; be grateful - All of this just for today!

House - keep it clean, rid it off old things that may be of use to others, gives you more satisfaction.

Wardrobe - clean it every 60-75 days. Do not hoard, you will always find a better use for things.

2. Negative People - Avoid them like the plague, ignore them if that does not work or be upfront, brutally honest to them once.

3. Remove the confusion between friends; business contacts; acquaintances. Make time to connect with friends & those who matter. Besides the SMS, brief birthday calls; catch up for a coffee, drink, movie, dinner.

4. Increase the % of reading, the more serious kind, whilst still enjoying fiction.

5. Spend less time online surfing & more reading, writing about what you love.

6. Stop trying out all the Fad diets; start work out (after all the wife’s given you a birthday gift - gym membership).

7. Decide where you wish to go professionally this year & over the next 3 years & implement.

With the year having already passed……and a month more, I know this is late but the meeting of friends after 30 years, did not realize the time flying past!!!

Another year has come to an end, the last week more hectic then ever, with a full month of fun frolic, friends lined up.

Some thoughts stray & otherwise that made 2008 what it was…..

January, a month that I normally look forward to with zest, started quietly enough. An article Essential Skills for 2008 written served the tone for the year.

February, begins with my daughter quietly, silently, pointedly, & finally stridently, pointing out her birthday. It was also a month spent in Ahmedabad, an old haunt for a family occasion, where besides meeting old friends, reviewed a lot of restaurants. It was also a month of cold evenings & hot manoos creating a ruckus.

March, a month of sadness, when quietly, professionally finally parted ways with my employer, though there were a couple of battles still pending.

April came soon enough. I also decided to take some time off…with the personal thought “I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same as making a ‘life’”. A lot of other thoughts, words of wisdom, mottos, followed that still bring a smile. There was also the No Honking Day which as a concept is alien to Mumbaikars and Strike that soon fizzled out.

May began with a Reunion, IPL, some thoughts on Time Management & ending with thoughts on Inflation. A month of driving down to Baroda & Ambaji, meeting friends again. It was also a month, when health problems reared up its head, with torn ligament and others scheduled soon…..

June was a month of frustration, with health leading the way….the torn ligament ensured 3 weeks of complete bed rest, followed by a small surgery. But the good thing was catching up with friends who have been doing well for themselves, glad to be in Bombay. Besides this my daughter participated in Shiamak Davar & Terrence Lewis Shows for the umpteen time:)

July was a month of rest & recovery, but the fuel prices went up, received email on comparisons & thoughts about fuel, India’s Sam Bahadur died, a close friend turned 50.

August, regaining a bit of mobility, started off with a couple of consulting assignments, that left enough time for my family responsibilities & living life. Amongst observations on business, retail, retrenchment & finally iPhone the month flew by.

September saw me spending some more time on my assignments, where a fair amount of discussions & execution led to some thoughts, views on Loyalty & CRM; Brand Ambassadors; building value for a brand; the real winner. There were also the Retail Jewelers awards. Amongst all this managed to catch A Wednesday, finding it refreshing.

October - an extremely eventful month, full of festivals of course. After a long time had a MNDFCK meeting. Enjoyed the Highs of travel to Baroda, Ahmadabad, by train after a decade. Catching up with friends there, having friends over, attending TiE with Bela. Amongst the Lows, Havoc in Indian Markets, Recession, Retail in Gujarat, Lehman Brothers, Stock Market, bad meetings et all. There was a flurry of emails, text on everything related to this. However my musings, more particularly post Divali says it all.

November came with its share of Post Divali Blues. With doomsayer predicting severe Recession; refreshed the mind watching movies - fashion, EMI, buying books on the net, reading Rashmi Bansal’s Stay Hungry Stay Foolish . An interesting finding on Branded Jewellery finally ended the debate with a client this month. And whilst I wanted to conclude the month with Warren Buffet’s thought & India is still shining; the events of 26th November overshadowed everything.

December, normally a month of enjoyment, with whatever little chill Mumbai has, parties, waiting for the year to end began with a lot of passion, anguish, fervor, cries, texts, rally, demands, questions against terror, voting rights ; with assistance from Media of course. Listening, thinking about all this, melancholy creeping in supported by my birthday, absence of wife, but supported by friends as always.

The NDTV initiative amongst other aspects that I personally felt strong about led to meeting of like minded souls, initiating Citizens4Change with no particular insistence to begin with but try to be the change in your own small way. Come 20th December & everything was normal, party plans were being made albeit not high profile, the word resilient was bandied around as usual, whereas the fact is “We are resilient by force not choice” and the year wound down to an end. A small note in Business India made me happy as one of my idols had agreed to my thoughts.

2008 was a good year, extremely eventful & a CORRECTIVE year. I wish that 2009 is exciting in a more positive way, with India’s GENext leading the charge & focusing on implementation of their myriad dreams!

Jai Ho!

I received an email yesterday

“Dear All,

My friend Ranjan Kamath has posted a petition at the following link. Its a protest against the Captains of Industry falling at Narendra Modi’s feet. I don’t know if any of you would like to sign it or forward it to more people. I have signed it and so I am sending it to you all. Do what your conscience tell you. http://www.PetitionOnline.com/30JAN09/”

Whilst this may make sense, I was curious & hence posed the following Questions:

Do all who have signed the petition, believe & have adhered to:

1) Not making profits thru investments with Tata; Mittal; Ambani?
2) Switching off their phones is good, but why not Vodafone, IDEA &
others OR is it because this is driven to gujarat & narendra modi
3) I can understand the petition & mail, which signifies…..I am
no one, you are no one but together we can be someone. Great! But why
cell phones? What happens after the 30th Jan….Do we switch it on
again?
4) And when compared to maybe 2000 petitioners switching it off &
causing an approx Rs 200 each loss i.e. 4 Lacs how does this drop in
the ocean help?
5) Will these same petitioners agree not to recommend; work with all the 3 big shots in any way?
6) Conscience is Fine, but there needs to be some logic behind the passion also.

I welcome opinions, views, thoughts on this

Received a lot of warm wishes….some of the good ones…..

To all my friends who in the last year sent me ‘best wishes’, chain letters, ‘angel’ letters or other promises of good luck if I forwarded something,
NONE OF THAT WORKED!
For 2009, could you please send money, wine and whisky or petrol vouchers.Thank you! Have a great 2009. (Ashok Mansata)

New is the year, new are the hopes and aspirations, new is the resolution, new are the spirits and forever our warm wishes are for you.Have a peaceful, promising and fulfilling New Year.
Ajay Goyal , Neena Family

“NEW YEAR 2009″
+New aim
+New achievement
+New dream
+New idea
+New thinking
+New ambition
=Newlife+success.
HAPPY NEW YEAR shashank & priti patki

Wealth says: Earn Me
Health says: Maintain Me
Character says: Purify Me
Time says: Plan Me
I say: Have a gr8 year in 2009
Pravin n Anita Agrawal and family.

In 2009 : Journalists will stop fearing their editors
* Politicians will stop lying
* cops will stop hounding innocents
* businessmen will stop worrying about profits
*Countries wld stop fighting
* BE HAPPY : imagining and dreaming will continue to be free of cost & at will..
-Soumitra…

There comes a point in life when you realise…who matters..who never did…who won’t anymore….and who always will….so don’t worry about people from the past,there is a reason they don’t make it to your future…give a hug to everyone you don’t want to lose in 2009.

Hugggggg.

Happy New Year!

Irfan, Maria and Ranim

With lots of changes, upheavels, revamps , I wish the year of 2009 will balance the scales in your favour and all of us emerge stronger, joyous and abundant.
Happy New Year Tehmasp Printer

In life we will realize that the people we meet have a purpose.Some were put there to test us, some would use us, some would teach us, and some would bring out the better if not the best in us… Some may even cause us pain & heartache but we must learn to move on… So let us go of the people who can’t treat us right, & hold on to those who love us back & see our worth..
After all, life is nöt about meeting péople. Its touching pèòplè’s lives. Happy New Year

Anil Machado

Ho puri aapke dil ki har khwahish aur mile khushiyon ka jaha sara, agar aap mange aasman ka ek tara to bhagwan de-de aapko aasman sara!
“Happy 2009″ Umesh Kandade.

The year 2008 has gone but has made us strong. The path was long but we walked with a song. There were fears and tears, but we had reasons to cheer. Naya Saal bahut Mubarak. Best Wishes Milani & Tushar Desai

I hope in the new year you see yourself as I see you: intelligent, interesting & likeable. May 2009 give a whole new meaning to the phrase ” the good life” Sunita.

A week back, after an entertaining citizens meeting at Atithi (nay, we were asked to vacate the restaurant) Bawa international, left to come home along with couple of friends.

Coming out from the one way of domestic airport, waited to cross over the highway. No cars passing on the highway towards bandra, a cop gesticulating all over the country side from beneath the half complete flyover, cars honking from behind, no visible signal and I moved ahead, crossing the highway & came to a stand still below the flyover.

Up rushed the gesticulating constable Vijay Gopal Kurade badge nos 960452. And the questions started…….

Did you not see the signal? No sir, it is not visible on the other side
You have come ahead already? Yes sir, but you were waving to come
I was not waving for you. Ok but how am I supposed to know
You are educated, how can you make such mistakes. Yes sir, but I did not take the constable’s exam
Licence. Yes
Gujarat licence Yes
Maharashtra Car Yes
And multiple other questions……before the punch line……Pavti Phadu Kai!

Having earlier warned my friend not to speak (since he is a maharashtrian); I had exhausted my vocabulary, so said ‘Jo rule hai woh karo saab’

This was followed by a description of where I would have to go, time taken etc. etc. But we were insistent on the Pavti

Finally, he gave up, preparing the same, admonishing us that his duty was getting over soon, so we better hurry back.

Off we went, to the airport where a trailer was occupied by traffic as a chowky.

Went in, empty, with AC working full blast. 10 minutes later, some constables who were outside loitered in to find out what we were upto. My friend who was smoking outside, gave them the version (and no they did not ask him to stop smoking in a public place). They came in, verified and asked me again whether I wanted to wait or what? Since I was insistent & told them to call the Sub Inspector, one of them dragged his mobile phone & called up! Why could they not use the walkie talkie which were lying around, no idea….

Sub Inspector walked in 5 minutes later….And there the story changed…..India there is hope for you…….

Polite, courteous, introduced himself, apologies for delay, explained that being a friday….Don’t Drink & Drive was being organized (it is a different matter & story that I shall relate sometime) and hence. Made the challan, accepted the fine (a measly 100/-) bade us good bye….with the wish that there should be more responsible citizens like us.

Reaching the junction again, Kurade handed over the licence…..his smile clearly saying……Win some Lose some….

In the last 15 years in Mumbai, this is the second time, I have had to pay the challan & have not paid without it! But it left me with a sense of self satisfaction that in my own small way….i did not try & corrupt the system.

I have been using this word quite often during the past couple of months, whilst discussing, writing about the recession. And it feels great that a person whom I admire professionally has made a telling statement.

Mr. Deepak Parekh tells the builders ensure a price correction & you will sell; else soon there won’t be any buyers for these buildings that will be white elephants. (Business India Chat Zone December 14, 2008)